This isn't much of a journal. We had a full-length meeting, but much of it
just seemed to be decompression from a busy week of meetings. We didn't even
get to the integration discussion.

Oh, and I'm using the new list. Most folks have made the shift; those who
lag will be lost. (At least, that sounded poetic, don't you think?)

Don't forget your precinct caucuses tonight. Check last week's Times (and
presumably CB News) for locations.

Karen offered thanks to those who have signed up to vounteer for the 9
Health Fair (Don, Margaret, Richard, Sandra, Bob and Rita), and noted that
more volunteers would still be welcome. Let her know if you would like to
help out. She did note that volunteers can get their own blood drawn two
days prior to the Fair, so that everyone can work on a full stomach and not
a fasting one.

The city's master plan discussion this week focuses on open space and parks
and recreation. There's a steering committee meeting (open to the public) in
the morning and a planning commission discussion (open to the public) in the
evening. Oops, that's on Wednesday for those of you not given to
mind-reading.

The Smart Growth workshop went well, although several RSVPs from the Crested
Butte area failed to materialize. I believe Kim is hoping to offer more
workshops, and I gather the suggestion that weekend sessions be considered
was well-taken.

RE-1J is still in negotiations with Steve McKee, potential new district
superintendent. A full house showed up for the start-time decision. Jaclyn
reported that by the end of the discussion she understood the need for the
time shift and the collaborative process, which includes a fairly rigorous
evaluation process, but she told the board that she still would like to
discuss the poor process of the decision and how it was brought forward.
Public buy-in might have been readily had had the district done more advance
work and public discussion.

And hopefully, because of the level of distrust expressed by parents who
want to know what the district will be doing with their children in that
half-hour before class starts (assuming working parents drop their kids off
by 8), the principals, who have responsibility for that half-hour, will
undertake a more intensive effort to communicate with parents about their
schools' goals and objectives.

On the county front, we heard that one development just north of town (don't
even recall the name of it, but it's adjacent to Spring Meadows, which must
be somewhere near North Elk Meadows) is likely headed to a courtroom,
because the developer and the Spring Meadows neighbors are in a heavy
dispute over the application of Spring Meadows covenants to the new
development.

Permits for 12 coal bed methane wells by McClure Pass are on the table.
Gunnison Energy Company's four wells would be accessed by a private road, so
the county has little input into that project. SGI will need county approval
on a road to access its eight wells.

Members of the High Country Citizens Alliance offered flyers to planning
commission audience members with an analysis of what exactly gets pumped
down into those wells to bring the methane up -- I imagine they'd be happy
to provide anyone who requests it with a copy.

The possibility exists in the McClure area for between 60 to 600 wells,
although 60 may be the more realistic number, given terrain limitations. And
apparently, while whatever any of these companies put into the ground may
not be environmentally desirable, both of the companies pulling permits have
better reputations than many others in this industry. (Of course, if I were
crass, I'd wonder how much difference it makes if the criminal robbing you
is well-dressed and well-mannered. But I would never be crass.)

And that seems to be pretty much what I took notes on. I guess if I forgot
something, somebody else could bring it up, preferably with less toxicity
than methane gets brought up. Although, if cows produce methane, perhaps
that's all I'm doing here, too.

TL